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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · club · ball · squash · stem · rush · object · pound

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pound — a weight
  5. object — a thing
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rush — hurry
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — the sport
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. squash — to crush
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. object — an aim
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. ball — a dance
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com